


Keep Your Eyes On Me

by onyxshinigami



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-04-30
Packaged: 2018-06-05 13:15:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6705796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onyxshinigami/pseuds/onyxshinigami
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From their first meeting on the Storm Coast to the garden of Skyhold, the Iron Bull and Leaf Lavellan share time together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keep Your Eyes On Me

As they descended from the crest of the rocky outcrop the scenery, though ridiculously damp, was breathtaking. The vast expanse of the Storm Coast was there; mist-draped and dragon-toothed. The water rolled in, crashing loudly upon pebbled beaches sparsely decorated with wreckage. The grey-green sea and the misting sky filled Leaf’s heart with joy, for but a moment. Then he remembered why they were here, and the momentary appreciation for the natural beauty before him slipped away into the mist.

Leaf lead the way, his Keeper robes shades darker from the rain, his brown hair hanging in sullen waves and knotted curls down the length of his back. The occasional flick of his neck kept most of it out of his face; the shorn sides most convenient for weather like this.

Vivienne admonished him several times for shaking off like an animal. He bowed his head each time, to appease her.

Cole’s hat kept most of his upper body dry. It would have sheltered him more if he could keep his eyes where he should be putting his feet. He stared up at the sky for moments at a time, apparently puzzled. “So much water. Where does it go?”

Warden Blackwall had little to say about the weather; he was interested in seeking out a few relics of the Wardens that had been lost on the cost in the past. There was also the mystery as to where the other Wardens had vanished occupying most of the man’s mind. As they descended to their camp, Leaf watched Blackwall’s eyes scanning as far ahead as the mists would allow.

Leaf wasn’t sure if the sounds he was hearing were distant thunder, an echo of the tides, or something else entirely.

A brief meeting in the camp with Scout Harding presented the group with another host of problems. There were missing scouts, murderous bandits, not to mention Venatori, scattered Darkspawn, and a giant that had been spotted roaming further down the coastline. All they needed now was-

A screeching roar split the sky.

“A dragon. Lovely.” Vivienne didn’t exactly frown, but she did not appear enamoured with the idea of encountering the great beast.

“It’s quite far off shore. Let’s hope it stays that way,” Blackwall added, shouldering his shield as they prepared to move out after their all too short a rest.

They didn’t get far.

The sounds of battle erupted from below the camp. The scouts were on immediate alert, drawing bows, knives, and other assorted weaponry. Leaf ordered them to remain at camp. Too many people had been lost already. A nod of his head towards the cliff-edge and the four of them moved forward quickly.

Leaf had been on the lookout for a mercenary company, the Bull’s Chargers. As luck would have it, he could have slipped of the cliff aside the camp and landed in their arms.

The rocks were red with blood and the sea was foaming pink. A large group of Venatori were engaged with another group of warriors; a violent clash of blades and the screams of dying men echoed off the jagged cliffs.

There.

Leaf spotted Cremisius Aclassi, the soldier he’d spoken with back before Haven-

And there. A Qunari. A great, bloody mass of muscle right in the middle of the fracas.

“They don’t need our help, but we should,” Cole said.

“We go down the cliff, there,” Leaf pointed to their right. “Flank the Venatori. Blackwall, get their attention. Cole, stay hidden and flank those archers. Vivienne, as you will. We’ll meet the mercenaries in the middle.” Leaf shifted his staff from his shoulder to his right hand, readying himself to hit the beach fighting. As he slipped and skidded as carefully as he could down the steep rocky gradient, he drew upon the forces that surrounded him, lightning cracking between his fingers, his brilliant blue eyes glowing with Fade energy.

Their path took them behind the Venetori and they wasted no time on mercy.

Blackwall roared as he charged forward, his axe splitting the skull of a brute that turned in surprise. He knocked another to the ground with his shield before delivering a killing blow. Turned; blocked another Venetori and struck low, severing the man’s leg at the knee.

Cole vanished. Seconds later an archer was face down. A ripple of motion and he was gone again. A short scream silenced. A second archer dead. Vanish.

Leaf and Vivienne remained back, strategically placing mines on the shore. Vivienne’s fire exploded, spraying scalding rock and bloody bits into the air. Leaf’s mines froze, buying soldiers time to wind up a strong, sure strike, splintering their foes into shards. Leaf cast a lightning net around a group of five Venatori soldiers trying to run around one of Vivienne’s fire mines. As two of the Venetori scrambled to escape the net, they were repelled by the shock, the force throwing them atop the mine. The explosion was brief, but brilliant, and left all five soldiers dead.

“Reinforcements!” Vivienne cried.

Leaf turned his eyes from the battle before him to her, and saw. There were six of them, flanking as if they had emerged from the sea, heading straight for the two mages.

“After you, Madam!” Leaf answered. He pulled at the Fade, chilled the air and created a large ice wall that blocked the path of the soldiers. In the short time that bought them, Leaf felt Vivienne’s barrier flow over him, shielding him from imminent danger. They quickly laid an alternating path of Fire and Ice mines. Vivienne quickly drank a lyrium potion. As the ice wall fell to the soldiers force, Vivienne tossed the glass vile, striking one of the soldiers in the face. She stumbled, screaming, glass in her eyes, setting foot right on Vivienne’s fire mine. Three dead. Two were knocked into Leaf’s frost mine and were flash frozen. Vivienne darted forward and Leaf cast a barrage of ice at the last soldier, distracting the large brute from her movement. Vivienne drew her Spirit Blade, and the two frozen soldiers shattered.

One soldier remaining. Huge. Enraged. Bearing down on Leaf as if he would rip the tiny elf mage to pieces with his bare hands. Leaf closed his eyes, focused, and stepped through the Fade, through the soldier, leaving the hulking form half-frozen, nauseated, stunned. Leaf turned, cast another barrage, and laid an ice mine under the soldier’s feet. As the soldier slowly, torturously slowly, turned, the mine triggered, the body froze completely. Leaf stepped forward, spun with his staff, the bladed end striking where neck met shoulder, and the ice sculpture shattered into wet chunks across the rocky sand.

“Chargers! Stand down!” the voice was clear and carried across the battlefield. Leaf turned towards it.

The Qunari. That had to be the Iron Bull. There was no other Qunari in sight. Leaf surveyed the scene quickly. Blackwall was jogging back to them, blood splattered but obviously unharmed. Cole was, somehow, beside him already. Bloody up to the elbows, a small cut on his cheek. Leaf reached out and ran a thumb over it, using his magic to encourage the skin to pull together. Cole blinked; Leaf smiled. Cole echoed the expression, and then turned away.

 _‘He has someone to help’_ , Leaf thought.

Leaf watched Cole walk away for a moment before turning his attention back to the Qunari. He stood a good head taller than anyone else on the beach and he was surveying the area as well, bending down to check on his men. Leaf shouldered his staff and began crossing the beach to meet this Iron Bull. As he got a little closer, he could tell he was being watched, weighed, and had already been judged by some. He kept his chin up, eyes on the Qunari.

Up close, the Iron Bull was even larger than Leaf had thought. He was a shield-wall of scarred silver-grey flesh, broad shoulders, massive chest and wide hips. Legs as thick as trees. His horns were unlike any of the Vashoth Leaf had met back in the Free Marches. They were wide, spread straight out from his head before curving up and slightly back.

 _‘Sturdy_ ’, Leaf thought. _‘He can weather a storm.’_

“So, you’re with the Inquisition, huh? Glad you could make it. Come on, have a seat. Drinks are coming.”

The two men talked about the work that needed doing, the money that would be needed, and the arrangements Josephine would have to make. Once the Iron Bull explained more clearly what the Ben-Hassrath was, and patiently answered more of Leaf’s questions, they struck a deal. The Chargers were hired by the Inquisition, and everyone would meet back at Skyhold. There was still too much work for Leaf and the others to do here to leave yet.

They had to find those scouts.

 

*** *** ***

 

“He’s pretty, I’ll give him that. Small though.”

Bull ignored Krem’s comment, keeping his gaze on the Seeker across the courtyard. The woman was formidable. Perhaps she would be interested in a new training partner.

“Wonder how he got that scar across his eye. Looks deep, like it healed badly too.”

There were several soldiers sparing with one another in the courtyard under the watchful eye of the Inquisitions Commander, Cullen Rutherford. The Iron Bull decided he liked the ex-Templar and the Seeker. Straightforward and no nonsense. They weren’t sure what to make of him or his Chargers yet, but that wasn’t important.

“He’s got some crazy blue eyes, hasn’t he?”

“Krem, if you want to fuck the elf, go for it. You can tell me all the details later,” Bull grinned as they walked past the soldiers, heading to the tavern.

“Not me, chief. It was you he was mostly sort of looking at.”

“That’s because he spent the majority of the conversation listening to me answer his questions.”

“Think it’s a clan thing? The eyes not quite meeting? Or not looking at all? Dalish doesn’t do that,” Krem scratched idly at his chin. “Reminds me of elves back in Tevinter.”

“If you want to know, go ask.”

Krem rolled his eyes and headed to the bar as they entered the cozy little tavern.

“I heard that!” Bull barked at the man’s retreating figure.

“Yes, mother! Sorry, mother!” Krem laughed. Bull smiled. Perhaps it was a good time for a drink. The sun was just beginning to set. Soldiers and scouts just off duty would be retreating to the tavern for a quick drink or three before evening repast. Ah, who was he kidding. It was always a good time for a drink.

As he crossed the room, claiming a seat that was well situated, Bull’s thoughts drifted for a moment to the mage Inquisitor. Krem was right.

The elf did have pretty eyes.

 

*** *** ***

It was night. The bard was singing. The ale was flowing. Several of the Chargers had ended up in the tavern and they were mixing company with the Inquisition soldiers. Both groups were still feeling around one another, sizing up the competition, so to speak. The soldiers might need a reminder the Chargers were on their side.

“So, what do you really think of the new boss, chief? Up to standard?” Krem slid into the chair next to Bull and passed over a tankard of ale.

“Seems alright enough,” Dalish chipped in. She was twirling her long blonde hair between her fingers, eyes restless, feet tapping.

“Little thing like tha’? Sneeze wrong and you’ll knock him over,” Vatcher grinned. “You sure he’s out of his wetclothes?” Dalish glared at the young man and made a disapproving noise. Bull wasn’t surprised when the man ‘tripped’ on the way to the bar. Krem shook his head to hide the smirk. Bull took a long drink, emptying half the tankard in one go. He placed the cup on the wooden table with a little ‘thump’, resting his hand over the rim.

“He’s powerful, even without that weird shit going on. He listens. He considers,” Bull slowly twisted his tankard on the table as he spoke, making patterns on the surface with the moisture. “He got thrown into a pile of human shit and is trying damned hard to keep everyone clean. Not easy.”

“Herding cats again, are we?” Krem chuckled.

“Worse. Orlesians.” The Iron Bull leaned back in his chair, horns almost touching the walls. “And that damned demon thing he’s got running about,” Bull grunted. “That’s creepy.”

“What? What demon?” Krem sat up, startled.

Near the bar a soldier turned too quickly and bumped into Vatcher who, in turn, fell against the barmaid. The woman cried out as her tray of freshly poured ale was dumped over Vatcher’s head. That blonde elf, Sera right? She started screeching with laughter, slapping her hand to her thigh. She looked like fun.

“That’s enough, Dalish,” Bull warned, the smile in his voice almost hidden. “I’ll be sure to let the Inquisitor know you have successfully defended his honour.”

“Now sir, I did no such thing!” Dalish gasped. Skinner started in on her then, teasing and sharp. Krem just laughed. The Iron Bull lifted his tankard and drained what remained inside, a watchful eye roaming the crowd.

The silent figure in the rafters remained watchful, remained unnoticed.

 

*** *** ***

 

Leaf returned to the Storm Coast a few weeks later. He wanted to check on the scouts’ at the camps. There were reports of increased Darkspawn activity and he wanted those damned creatures cut off from the surface. Blackwall was an obvious choice in a fight against Darkspawn, and Vivienne’s fire a must. Leaf chose to bring along the Iron Bull. The two had yet to fight alongside one another, and Leaf was curious to see how the group dynamic would change.

Vivienne and Blackwall, well, they tolerated one another at best. Conversations between the two did not often end pleasantly and more often than not the two did not talk to one another at all. Both were wary of Cole and tended to avoid conversing with the spirit if they could.

Leaf was pleased Vivienne and the Iron Bull got along quite well very quickly. Leaf was fond of Vivienne. She was brilliant, clever, and quick. She saw things before they occurred, anticipated a dozen outcomes for every action. She tolerated no nonsense. She was talented in a million ways; power and grace. Leaf knew he could learn much from her, and he had already begun to rely on her as much as he did Josephine. The human politics was something he did not care for, and he was content to leave it to people who actually knew what they were doing.

“You know, Viv, you're not bad with that staff.” The Bull huffed after a swift scrap with some ghouls. Vivienne elegantly rounded on him.

“You will address me as Enchanter Vivienne, Court Mage to the Empire of Orlais, or Madame de Fer. Not, ‘Viv.’” The Enchanter admonished; her tone absolute command.

“Oh. Right, ma'am. Sorry, ma'am,” the Bull shuffled his feet and looked for all the world like a scolded child, his gaze lowered to the rocky beach.

“Hmm. Yes, "ma'am" works as well.” Vivienne remarked, pleased or placated by the title. Her tone was much gentler, letting the Bull know there would be no lingering rebukes.

The next few days passed easily enough. Vivienne and Bull worked well together, and both seemed to be beginning to appreciate the other’s company.

The Bull did not take as easily to Blackwall, however.

The group had just wiped out another swarm of Darkspawn at the head of the Long River deep inside a cavern infested with, what else, giant bloody spiders. Leaf lifted several tons of rock and crammed it back down a hole, hoping it would be enough until more Wardens could be found to deal with the source properly. As they made their way down the riverbank that would eventually lead them back to a camp, Bull spoke.

“Something's funny about you.”

Blackwall seemed taken aback. “Oh?”

“Yeah. You talk about Grey Wardens and honor and sacrifice and griffons, but you're still not convinced.”

“Not convinced?” Blackwall sounded as confused as Leaf felt.

“Yes, you know what I mean.”

“And you know this because?” Blackwall pushed.

“I'm a people person,” Bull replied, his tone dark and warning.

 _‘Ben-Hassrath.’_ Leaf thought.

Leaf caught Vivienne’s eye, and the two shared a look.

This was a conversation that would have to wait for a little more privacy.

 

*** *** ***

 

The Iron Bull was kept close under Vivienne’s knowing eyes as they travelled together. Leaf asked Cole to travel with him again. In precious little time, they became an efficient and effective team. This was despite the fact both Vivienne and Bull insisted Cole was a demon. Leaf, Cole, and even Solas insisted Cole was a Spirit, not a demon, and Cole insisted that he only wanted to help. Cole’s insight to the places they visited was sometimes enlightening and sometimes unnerving. 

Cole unnerved many, through no fault of his own. A spirit isn’t a person after all. Leaf spent a great time with Cole, talking to him, asking him questions, just sitting with him, watching the people of Skyhold go about their business. Leaf honestly enjoyed Cole’s company. Sometimes they went to the tavern together, though most didn’t even notice Cole was there. Leaf enjoyed watching Cole as he listened to music, overheard conversations, and helped people in a hundred little ways.

Leaf wanted to help people too. Cole just made it look easy.

“You drinking alone?”

Leaf looked away from Cole, from the bard, and smiled up. The Iron Bull stood politely, tankard in hand, waiting for an invitation or a dismissal.

“Yes, and no. I’m drinking. Cole isn’t.” Leaf looked at the Bull’s eye, then down to the seat at the table. “Feel free to join me. I enjoy your company.”

“Oh? Good to know.” Bull pulled up a chair and sat down. He raised his tankard and Leaf mirrored the gesture with his cup, clinking the two together in a wordless toast. They made a little idle chatter before falling silent, simply watching the people in the tavern. Leaf spotted Cole whispering into the ear of a soldier. The woman nodded to herself and turned to continue her conversation with the scout she’d been talking to most of the night. The women seemed, relaxed.

“Oh they are going to have a fun time tonight.” Bull chuckled. “The scout on the left, the brunette? She’s had her eye on that soldier for weeks. Looks like someone’s finally getting the message.”

Leaf smiled. “I’m glad people are still remembering to live, not simply exist.”

“Well, there’s nothing like the threat of death hanging over your head to make you seize the day by the short curlies.”

Leaf tried not to laugh. He failed horribly, but at least he tried.

“I want to know something about you.”

“Oh?” Leaf curiosity was piqued by the Bull’s straightforward question. “What is it?”

“You’re a mage and, well, as many mages as I’ve fought with over the years, there’s usually one story they either really love to tell, or really hate. I’m wondering what yours will be,” Bull leaned his elbows on the table. “How was it you found out you were a mage?”

Leaf sobered instantly, the warmth gone out of the night. He frowned, looking down into his glass, remembering.

“Shit. One of those stories.”

“No, it’s fine,” Leaf sighed. “Just, not here. When your drink is done, walk with me?”

The Iron Bull nodded. Not long after, the two men finished their drinks and exited the tavern. The night air was refreshing after the crowded warmth.

“Aren’t you cold without shoes?”

“Aren’t you cold without a shirt?”

The Bull shrugged. “Point taken.”

The Iron Bull followed the elf up the stone stairs to the ramparts. When they reached the top, Leaf looked out over the horizon. The Iron Bull stood beside him. There would be few people up here, just patrols.

“I don’t like telling this, but you asked honestly, and I will be honest with you. I would prefer it if you kept the information to yourself.”

The Iron Bull nodded. Leaf hoped this wouldn’t end up in a Ben-Hassrath report, but he felt that if he showed the Bull a little something, it might keep the spy away from other matters that he did not wish to discuss. Leaf took a moment to compose himself, and then he began to speak, to remember. The low tone of his voice was deceptively soothing.

“There were these Shem bandits one summer when I was small, only five winters old. They were a plague on our caravan. Scouts went out and didn’t come back. We lost hunters and halla and then, they started raiding us in the night. They killed the men first. They were weakening us, you see? Trying to distract the Keeper and hunters from what they were really after. I didn’t understand the truth until years later. They were slavers and they…” Leaf took a deep breath. “They were after children. Pretty little elves fetch high market prices.”

Leaf risked a glance at the Bull. The man stood silently, listening. Leaf shook his head, averted his gaze to the night sky and continued.

“My parents are both hunters for the clan. They had to keep everyone safe while trying to find out where the damn Shem kept disappearing to, like magic.”

“One night, they didn’t come back. The Keeper thought they were dead. There were so few adults to keep us young ones safe now, you see? So, the Keeper did the only thing they could think of that might make it survivable. He led us all to some ruins and used our aravels to form a blockade that would funnel the Shem into a narrow path. The remaining hunters and mages hid in trees and atop columns. They would have better chances of killing the Shem without being spotted of killed in return. The young ones were gathered into a cave or a room of some sorts. I don’t really remember it. There were halla painted on the walls. I just remember finally feeling safe. The stone was cool and I could curl up into a little indentation with my blanket to sleep.

 _‘Hide’_ , the Keeper said. _‘No matter what happens, hide.’_

“I don’t know how long I slept, but screaming woke me. The Shem were inside the room, grabbing us by the hair, the arm, hauling up over shoulders like sacks of flour. They’d put this cloth over our mouths and… the screaming would stop. We’d drop like the dead to the floor. I thought I was hidden, in my little hole. I thought they couldn’t see me. But they did. One grabbed my ankle and hauled me out of my hiding place. I couldn’t do anything. He was holding me by my ankle and dangling me from the air. I looked down and, there were… pieces. Someone’s fingers. Blood.” 

Leaf had to stop. The memory was making him nauseous. He could smell the blood, the piss and shit of ruptured bowels and fear.

Mercifully the Bull remained silent, waited patiently for Leaf to continue.

“The Shem dropped me and laughed.”

_‘Izzat male or female?’ a rough voice barked._

_He was kicked in the stomach, felt himself skid along the rough ground. He couldn’t breathe._

_‘Careful with the merchandise!’ the voice scolded._

_The Shem that kicked him bent down and ripped his leggings off. Turned to the other and yelled back._

_‘Another male. Skinny but looks healthy enough. Might get a decent price for him. ’’_

“I didn’t... I couldn’t… I thought they were going to kill me.”

_A hand on his throat, lifting him, choking him, the Shem dragging him across the floor and then…_

“It hurt. I was dying. All I could think… was ‘No’. And… I pushed. My fear. From my belly, out my chest, my hands, my fingers. I just, pushed. I don’t know what I did or how I did it, but it happened. Magic.”

Leaf looked at his hands. Flicked his fingers. Snowflakes blossomed in the air around the two men.

“And then nothing.”

Leaf curled his fingers to his palm. The snowflakes vanished.

Leaf shuddered. He glanced at the Bull. 

“When I woke up, my parents were back. They hadn’t been killed. They had spotted aravel tracks from another clan and had gone for help. They wouldn’t look at me.”

Leaf breathed deeply, stared at the stars.

“They never really looked at me, ever again.”

 

*** *** ***

The Iron Bull was in the garden. It wasn’t a place he went often, but he liked it for what it was. He sat under the shade of the gazebo and lifted a thin porcelain teacup from an equally delicate saucer. One does not turn down high tea with a First Enchanter after all.

Bull liked Vivienne. She was perceptive and observant, strong and determined. There was a kindness to her that you had to earn the right to see. She reminded him very much of his Tama. He wanted to earn her respect. He wanted to deserve that respect.

Bull cast his gaze around the garden as they drank and talked. The Inquisitor was in the corner of the garden where several rare herbs were being grown for the Inquisitions benefit. Those herbs made the apothecary’s potions much more effective in battle. There wasn’t a lot of soil here, but the herbalists and the Inquisitor did their best.

Everyone was doing their best around Skyhold. Foundation cracks had been repaired, walls shored up, rooves repaired or replaced. Well, some of the roofs. And some of the walls. Now that he thought about it, Bull realized there was still a lot of work to be done. More ‘sky’ than ‘hold’.

“So ma'am,” Bull asked as he placed the teacup back on its saucer, “What do you think of Skyhold?”

“Why do you ask?”

Bull looked from her, to the Inquisitor and his plants, to the small group of rebel mages in the far corner of the garden that had gathered to study outside for a change. When his looked back at Vivienne, he noted how she had carefully followed his gaze.

“Well, I don't know crap about magic so if the Veil is thin, or it’s weak against demons somehow, I can't tell.”

“It needs gold caps on the towers, bunting in the courtyard, and a great deal of soap.” Vivienne replied before selecting a cannulicchi from the serving tray in the middle if the table. 

“Ah. Got it.” Not the answer he was looking for, but revealing and informative nonetheless. If Vivienne didn’t deem the Veil important enough to comment on, then it wasn’t something she was concerned with. Therefore, Bull had nothing to worry about. No demons possessing people in the middle of the garden. He turned his attention back to the Inquisitor, just for a moment.

Bull watched the little elf, tending the delicate felandaris shoot that was just breaking ground. One it got a little bigger it would be tough, all twisted long thorns and bloody fingers waiting to happen. Felandaris was difficult to grow, especially in areas it wasn’t naturally found in. The Inquisitor was tending three pots of it, each in a different stage of growth.

Apparently done with that plant, Leaf leaned back, stretching his thin arms to the sides, arching his spine to ease tired muscles. He looked peaceful, if not happy, Bull noted. The elf had a very serious expression most times, worried. There was a lot of pressure on the elf. It wasn’t just the Inquisition, it was Orlais, Ferelden, the fate of the bloody world if that time traveling magic shit Dorian talked about was true. It was a wonder the elf hadn’t cracked, or fled. That little elf sure was made of some sturdy stuff.

The Iron Bull watched as Leaf stood up, admiring the long, thick mane of hair that flowed in waves and curls that reached the elf’s ass. Each side of the Inquisitor’s head had been shorn, so that even when gardening, the majority of his hair remained out of his face. It did tend to get brushed to the right, Bull had noticed. Long hair was impractical in a fighter, but the elf was a skilled and powerful mage. Bull hadn’t seen an attacker get close to him yet. Bull wasn’t planning on letting that happen.

He must have let his gaze linger a little too long. Leaf looked over at the gazebo, smiled politely and waved. Bull returned the gesture, and the smile, watched the elf walk away.

“Quite the green thumb our little Inquisitor has, wouldn’t you say?” Vivienne’s comment was neutral, and her tone was courtly politeness.

“He’s something, all right.”

 

*** *** ***

 

“Bull, if you grabbed a man’s head and pushed it into a stone wall, what is it that kills him?”

Leaf and Bull had been sitting in the tavern, sharing drinks and companionable stories for a few hours now. Leaf talked a little about the groups of Vashoth his clan had traded with occasionally on their travels through the Free Marches. Leaf was trying to understand Bull a little better by trying to understand the Qun, but it was hard. The Qun was so outside of anything he had experienced. Bull was a patient teacher. He explained the difference between Vashoth, Tal-Vashoth, Qunari, and some other titles Leaf’s brain was already muddling.

“Uh… what?”

“Is it the act of the skull being crushed by the wall, or does the neck snap? Or both?” Leaf was blinking thick, slow blinks and he looked from Bull’s hands to Bull’s face and back again. “Or something else I’m not considering.”

Bull thought for a moment before answering.

“I guess it would depend on a lot of variables. With the right angle, and enough force, more than likely the guy’s getting his skull crushed into paste. But, you could snap the neck if you caught the guy under the jaw…” Bull took a drink. “Why? You planning on having some fun without me around?”

“No, I was curious. I’m not one for fighting physically. Well, not fighting fairly, physically.” Leaf grinned wickedly.

“Hardly anyone does. You’re down on the ground with a boot on your chest and you don’t give a shit about ‘fair’ anymore.”

“Crack the knee if you can’t reach the nuts,” Leaf nodded.

“Shit. You do fight dirty!”

“When you’re a head shorter than anyone else your age, you pick up some nasty habits to keep brats away.” The elf took a sip of his whisky, “Though, I don’t suppose that was an issue for you.”

“Not that I can recall,” Bull laughed. He leaned forward, resting his weight on his elbows, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “So, how does a little mageling fight the big non-mage elflings?”

“Ice down the ass-crack.”

Bull laughed so hard he doubled over, almost knocking his head on the table. Leaf started to laugh because the Bull was laughing so hard. He really hadn’t thought he said anything all that funny.

They might both be a little drunk, all things considered.

“Ice down the! Oh ho! Ah ha ha! Oh boss, that’s priceless.” Bull wiped at the corner of his eye with his knuckle. “Ah, whatever works, right?”

“Indeed.”

“What about now?”

“Now?”

“Yeah. I mean, if I was to come at you now, what would you do?” Bull rested his chin on his hand, his tone playful.

“Other than scream and run away?”

Bull laughed. “Yes, other than that.”

“Lightning, first. Maintain distance. Shock the heart. Charge the air around your brace to seize the muscles every time you tried to move. Ice the field. Strike at the knees. Destroy your balance. Trap you in the lightning circle. Flurry the skies. Blind the eye. Freeze the heart. Watch you fall.”

Bull hummed an appreciative sound deep in his chest. The elf had given this some thought. 

“Do you think about how to kill everyone you meet?” the Iron Bull asked quietly.

Leaf peered quizzically at the Bull and whispered “Do you not?”


End file.
